8480 Space shuttle

This is the best LEGO set ever!! IMHO of course...

It got it all; Great selection of pieces, looks, functionality AND challenge to build!

I now own four of these and it would be more if I could find them, they're out of production sets (like all great sets).

Functions this beast got:
Light system in engines, rocket engine look-a-like
Working landing gear (up, down, support)
Working rudders (well, one kind anyway, the one that tilts the aircraft)
Opening/closing cargo doors
Crane to raise/lower satellite
Rotation in crane
Satellite unfolds it's solar panels
Two polarity switches to drive two engines
A gear box to select different functions, four gears.
Gear system for rudder and landing gear

Year 1996, 1366 pieces.

Sorry for that awful background dropping :)

Here she is, aww!

The bay opens and displays the satellite (yellow thing to the left) and the arm that put's it into orbit.

This is the bottom of the shuttle. It has quite a network of cross axles and gears. I never really understood which axle did what when I built it :)

Zooming in slightly, here's some of that gear action!

This is the crane that lift's the satellite out of the cargo bay.

Huston, we have a problem.

This was one of the hardest sets I ever took apart! Rumor says the Silver Champion is tougher though.

This is the gearbox that selects which function to use of four.

Some of the gears underneath the gearbox.

Nose wheel. I didn't get this one to work like it was supposed to. My bad.

What? Upside down? No, we're in space now. Remember?

Notice the red flame in the engine :)

You ever seen Red Dwarf? This is the dude in the opening credits that paint's the ship.

Red Dwarf is a excellent comedy series from BBC BTW.

Looking at the back...

Notice that when the rudders on one side go up the other side goes down.

Finally we opens the satellite and drive back home to earth another job well done. The little red micro motor opens the solar panels on the satellite.

I got quite a few pictures of the alternative model too but I'm far too lazy to write comments to them so check out my collection at Brickshelf if your interested.

Great pieces

Old style 9V motor
Micro motor
Two polarity switches
Black technic turntable
Lot's of beams in black and white
1x4 plate hinges
Gears and cross axles
1x10 plates

Links

Building instruction on Brickshelf
Inventory on Peeron
Set reference on Lugnet
Jim Hughes Technica